Nail driving tool



June l2, 1934. o. SANN NAIL DRIVING Toon Filed Aug. 3, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l A TTORNE YS June 12, 1934. o. SANN NAIL DRIVING To Filed Aug. 3, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l. uur". r,...

Patented June 12, 1934 NAIL DRIVING TOOL Otto Sann, Johnstown, Pa. Application August 3, 1933, Serial No. 683,535

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in nail driving tools and is particularly adapted for `driving nails in locations between closely spaced abutments, where an ordinary hammer cannot be readily swung. While not limited thereto, my improved tool is well suited for nailing scuppers between closely spaced ties of a railway bridge. The tool includes a housing having a slidably mounted plunger therein which is adapted to force the nail from a nail receiving cavity formed in the nose portion of the housing, the plunger being adapted to be reciprocated by a fulcrumed ratchet lever actuated by a handle having driving means thereon which coact with the ratchet lever.

The invention will be fully apparent from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings and will be dened with particularity in the appended claims.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a side elevation illustrating the tool positioned between two adjacent ties of a railway bridge prior to nailing a scupper between the ties; Fig. 2 is a similar view in central longitudinal section showing the parts in the position they assume after the nail is driven home; Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 10 represents a base casting or housing provided with a forwardly extending nose portion 12 having a nail receiving or positioning cavity 14 therein. Longitudinally aligned with this cavity, there is a chamber 16 formed in the housing within which slides a plunger 18. The rear portion of the plunger is of materially larger diameter than the forward nail driving portion 20. This enlarged rear portion carries a transversely extending pin 22 which passes through elongated longitudinal slots 24 formed in the side walls of the housing.

Lugs 26 extending upwardly from the housing support a bolt 28 which forms a fulcrum for both a ratchet lever 30 and an operating handle 32. The ratchet lever has a downwardly extending arm 34 having an elongated slot 36 formed therein, which coacts with the transverse pin carried by the plunger. The ratchet lever, as shown in Fig. 3, is of bifurcated form, the arms 34 thereof straddling the upstanding lugs 26 on the housing. The operating handle is slotted, as indicated at 38, so as to provide a lost motion connection with the fulcrum pin 28. This operating handle is interposed between the upstanding lugs 26 of the housing. And said handle is provided with laterally extending projections arranged to coact with the teeth 42 of the ratchet. The bifurcated portions of the ratchet member are united by bridge portions 44.

At the end of the housing opposite the nose, I preferably provide a screw threaded shank 46 which is adapted to receive an adjustable cap 48.

By adjustment of the cap relative to the housing, it will be understood that the tool as a whole can be adjusted to any desired position between two abutments or between opposed faces of an object into one face of which a nail or the like is to be driven.

The tool of my invention, while not limited thereto, is well suited for nailing scuppers between closely spaced ties and Figs. l and 2 show s a scupper 50 interposed between two closely spaced ties 52 and 54. In operation, a nail 56 will be inserted in the nail cavity 14 formed in the nose of the too-l. The tool will then be positioned between the vertical walls of lthe scupper, the cap 48 being turned relatively to the housing so as to hold the latter in place. The operator will then move the handle 32 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2. When the limit of movement permitted by engagement of one tooth of the ratchet is reached, the handle will be slightly lifted to take up the lost motion between the slot 38 in the handle and the fulcrum pin 28 and the next tooth will be engaged, whereupon further clockwise movement will be imparted to the ratchet member. This of course will in turn advance the plunger through the pin and slot connection described and thus drive the nail through the wall of the scupper and into the tie. The ratio of the length of the handle to the distance between the fulcrum pin 28 and the transverse pin 22 carried by the plunger is such that an effective mechanical advantage is secured, thus the nail can be forcibly driven home either with a continuous pressure, or by means of a series of strokes transmitted through the projections 40 tothe ratchet teeth, as will be understood.

The device, as shown and described, is of rugged construction and mostof the parts can be made of malleable castings with the exception of the plunger, fulcrum pin and plunger pin. The latter can be readily and cheaply formed of a stock size steel rod or shafting.

While I have described quite specifically the design and arrangement of the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated, it is to4 be understood that changes in arrangement and substitution of equivalents may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention as dened in the appended claims.

What I claim is:-

1. A nail driving tool of the character described comprising a portable housing, a plunger slidable therein, a fulcrumed lever provided with ratchet teeth and effective to reciprocate said plunger, and a fulcrumed operating handle having xedly secured thereto driving means for coaction with the teeth of said ratchet lever.

2. A nail driving tool of the character described comprising a portable housing, a plunger slidable therein, a fulcrumed lever provided with ratchet teeth and coacting with a pin secured to said plunger, a fulcrumed operating handle having Xedly secured thereto means for coaction with said ratchet lever, and a nose on the housing having a nail positioning cavity aligned with said plunger.

3. A nail driving tool of the character described comprising a housing, a plunger slidable therein, a fulcrumed ratchet lever operatively connected with said plunger, an operating handle having a slotted ulcrum connection with a pin secured to the housing, said handle having driving means secured thereto for coaction with said ratchet lever, and a cap adjustably secured to said housing and adapted to hold the tool'hetween fixed abutments.

4. A nail driving tool of the character described comprising a housing, a plunger slidable therein; a :ulcrum on said housing, a ratchet member mounted to oscillate on said fulcrum and having a portion operatively connected with said plunger, and an operating handle also mounted to oscillate on said fulcrum and carrying driving means for coaction with said ratchet member, said operating handle having a slotted connection with said iulcrum.

5. A nail driving tool of the character described comprising a housing, a plunger slidable therein carrying a transverse pin movable along a longitudinal slot formed in the housing, a ratchet lever fulcrumed on supporting means carried by the housing and having an apertured portion for coaction with said pin, and an operating handle carrying driving means ccacting with said ratchet lever.

6. A nail driving tool of the character described comprising a housing having a plunger movable therein, a fulcrum carried by lugs on said housing, a ratchet lever having arms straddling said lugs and coacting with a transverse pin secured to the plunger and extending through a longitudinal slot formed in the housing, and an operating handle having a slotted portion for coaction with said iulcrum and provided with a lateral projection for engagement with the teeth of said ratchet lever.

7. A nail driving tool of the character described comprising a housing, a plunger movable therein, upstanding lugs on said housing, a fulcrurn pin supported by said lugs, a ratchet lever fulcrumed thereon, a transverse pin carried by said plunger cooperating with a slot formed in said ratchet lever, and an operating handle having a projection for cooperation with said ratchet lever and having a slotted portion for engagement with the fulcrum pin. Y

3. A nail driving tool of the character described comprising a housing, a plunger movable therein, upstanding lugs on said housing, a fulcrum pin supported by said lugs, a ratchet lever fulcruined thereon, a transverse pin carried by said plunger cooperating with a slot formed in said ratchet lever, and an operating handle having a projection for cooperation with said ratchet lever and having a slotted portion for engagement with the fulcrum pin, said housing having a threaded extension and a positioning cap adjustable thereon, for holding the tool between two abutments.

OTTO SANN. 

